


Oh, All I Wanna Do, Is Grow Old With You.

by bigbidumbass



Category: 1917 (Movie 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Gay Disasters, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:20:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24519835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bigbidumbass/pseuds/bigbidumbass
Summary: Soulmate AU where you can't see color until you kiss your soulmate. This is all fluff, and nothing but. Kittens are involved.
Relationships: Joseph Blake/Lieutenant Leslie, Tom Blake/William Schofield
Comments: 16
Kudos: 78





	1. Chapter 1

Will hated driving in the rain. It was anxiety-inducing—the tension of not being able to see, worrying that the car would slide at any moment and he’d lose control. As if he didn’t have enough anxiety already. And it wasn’t only that—every time it rained, people seemed to forget how to drive. A ridiculous number of idiots suddenly couldn't remember how to read or signal.

Driving in the rain at _night_? That was Will’s worst nightmare, and he avoided it when he could. But he couldn’t always avoid it, and that was where he found himself now, stiff and eager to get home. And of course, an idiot was driving in front of him. 

Will shook his head, cautiously watching the car as it slowed to a stop in front of him.

“What the fuck is he doing?” Will muttered under his breath.

As the man opened up his door and got out, Will turned to look behind him, trying to see if any other impatient cars were waiting as well. Luckily, the road was deserted. Who on earth got out of their car in the middle of the road? After a moment, Will shifted his car into park, sighing, then got out as well. As he walked up to the empty car, he looked around for the driver. 

“Where the hell did he go?” he breathed, shivering as the rain brushed his bare skin. 

It was freezing. Hearing a noise, he moved over to the side of the car toward an alleyway. As he neared, he could hear a soft voice saying something. Squinting, Will could barely make out the outline of someone squatting down. He walked closer, trying to see it better.

“Hey!” he called, “Listen, what-”

“Look!” the man cut him off, gesturing him over. 

Will came a bit closer, hesitant. “What? I don’t see anything?”

The person quickly scrambled up, gently gripping Will’s arm. “Shh!”

Will started at the sudden warmth of the boy’s hand, watching as he pointed into the corner. “There! See?” the boy said. 

Kittens. Three of them. Will’s anger melted immediately.

“They were on the road,” the boy murmured. Will softened a bit, understanding.

“Where’s their mother?” Will asked.

The stranger shrugged. “Dunno. Don’t think she’s around. Nearly ran one of them over- it’s lucky I saw them.” 

He inched toward the corner, and Will watched him, not knowing what to do.

“Come here. Help me,” the boy whispered.

Will debated for a moment, then followed him. 

“Here,” the boy said, handing a kitten to him. 

“Oh, wait, I-”

The stranger ignored his words, placing the kitten into Will’s arms. The kitten flailed around, and Will panicked, not knowing what to do. He didn’t know how to hold a kitten.

“Well, keep hold of it!” the boy instructed, and Will gently held it to his chest, a bit worried he would hurt it.

“Yeah, you’ve got it,” the boy said, holding the other two. “Like that!”

Out on the road, a car horn started to blare, and Will was suddenly reminded of where he was.

“Oh, shit!” the boy swore. “Here, you take that one and follow me!”

Will didn’t have time to argue as the boy ran back to his car.

Will headed to his own and grabbed his keys out of his pocket, trying to keep the kitten secure in his arms.

There was a car behind them now, and the man inside didn’t look very happy.

“What the fuck are you doing?” the man yelled.

“Alright mate, calm down, we’re going now!” he called back. He didn’t wait for a response, just opened up the car door and got inside.

Carefully, he set the kitten down on the passenger seat and started up the engine. In front of him, the other boy’s car came to life, and Will followed it down the road to a park.

On the passenger seat, the kitten stretched its legs, trying to walk.

“No, no, stay still,” he said, worried it would fall off the seat.

Thankfully, the boy’s car was pulling over, and Will followed suit. Once they had stopped, Will cut the engine, picking up the cat.

The stranger was on a bench, holding the other kittens, and Will walked over.

“Jesus, can you believe that bastard?” the boy asked. “He wouldn’t stop honking at us!”

Will nodded, a bit stiffly, feeling very awkward.

“I’m Tom, by the way. Tom Blake.” The boy set the kittens down in his lap and held out his hand.

“Will. Schofield,” Will replied, shaking it and then sitting down next to him, still carefully holding the kitten.

“Can I call you Scho?” Tom questioned, picking the kittens up again.

“What?” Will asked.

“Scho. Like Schofield?”

Will stared at him. “If you’d like,” he said.

Tom grinned. “Alright, then,” he replied.

One of the cats on his lap mewled, and they looked down at it. 

“I call that one Charlie,” Tom revealed. “And this one,” he said, picking up the other, “Is Whiskers.”

 _Christ, he gave them names after one minute?_ Will thought.

He looked down at the small kitten that was held to his chest, wondering if he should give it a name as well.

“I can’t take them,” Tom told him, and Will looked over at him. “I’m staying with my brother, and he’s got a dog- Myrtle. She just had puppies. And the shelters are all closed for the night.”

Will thought back to his apartment. Pet-friendly, thankfully but… he’d never had a pet before. He had no idea what to do.

He realized that Tom was watching his expression, and he glanced over at him, trying to think of what to say. 

Tom beat him to it.

“Look,” Tom said, leaning in towards him, “I know it’s a lot to ask, but, if you could…”

He trailed off, sounding almost desperate.

Will softly pet his kitten’s head. 

“I wouldn’t mind, but I... I don’t know how to look after them,” Will told him.

“Oh, it’s not bad, I’ve done it before. I could tell you how or- show you, if you want,” Tom grinned, perking up.

Will took in a sharp breath, knowing that he’d prefer visual learning, but also knowing that he’d only met Tom about five minutes ago. He wasn’t exactly keen on inviting him to his house.

Still…

“Alright,” he answered.

“Thank you,” Tom said gratefully. “Listen, I’ll run down to the store- it’s not far. I’ll grab some supplies, it’ll be fast, then you can show me the way to your house.”

“Alright,” Will said again.

“Alright,” Tom repeated, handing Charlie and Whiskers over to Will. “Be right back.”

Will gave a nod, and Tom got in his car and drove off. 

It was overwhelming, trying to watch all three of the cats. The unnamed one was very tame, but the other two were energetic and kept trying to crawl off his lap.

Tom couldn’t have been gone for more than ten minutes, but Will felt an enormous sense of relief at seeing his car return. 

Tom got out, grinning. 

“Right, ready?” he inquired, picking Charlie up.

“Yes,” Will confirmed, gingerly standing up with Whiskers and the unnamed kitten.

“I’ll follow you?” Tom asked.

Will was a bit distracted- Whiskers was nibbling on his finger. “Er- yes, yes, fine,” he responded.

Tom laughed, watching him. “Here, I’ll take her off of you,” he said, nimbly grabbing the playful kitten. 

Will still held the other one, and he watched as Tom put Charlie and Whiskers into his car. Realizing he should be moving as well, Will headed back to his car and set the cat down again.

The kitten reminded him of a stuffed animal his sister had owned when she was young. She had called it Peanut, and Will warmly recalled the memory.

Starting the car, he pulled off the road and glanced into the rearview mirror to make sure that Tom was following him.

When they pulled up to Will’s apartment, Tom grabbed the supplies from his trunk as Will balanced the three kittens, and then Tom followed him up.

When Will opened the door, Tom set his kittens down and Will followed his example.

“Wow,” Tom said. “Clean in here.”

Will’s cheeks went hot. “Ah- er, not really.”

Tom laughed, giving him a puzzled look. “No? Don’t ever come over to my house then.”

Will returned a weak smile, still a bit anxious.

“Right, I’ll get started,” Tom said, pulling out supplies.

“Are you sure I’ll be able to do this?” Will asked, looking at the cats playing on the floor.

“Yeah, of course!” Tom assured him, patting a hand on his back.

Will was overwhelmed by the casual intimacy.

“Look, don’t worry, Scho,” Tom said, “It’ll be fun!”

* * *

The next morning, Will was extremely relieved when he heard a knock at the door.

Opening it, he welcomed Tom in, who seemed in much brighter spirits than Will was.

“You survived!” Tom quipped, and Will nodded.

“How was it?” Tom asked, picking up Charlie and petting him under his neck.

“Fine,” Will answered, a bit flustered. “Coffee? 

Tom nodded, “Sure, thanks.”

Will grabbed a mug and poured him a cup.

“Christ, did you get any sleep? You look… dead,” Tom said, setting Charlie down.

Will shrugged, handing him the mug. “Not really.”

Tom took the mug, looking concerned. “Really? Why not?”

Will spooned honey into his coffee, stirring it in. “I had things to do,” he started, hesitantly adding, “And I was worried something might happen to them.”

Tom’s brow furrowed. “Like what?” 

Will took a sip, shrugging again. “Anything.”

Tom looked down at his mug of coffee. “Have you got any cream or sugar?”

“Oh! Right,” Will said, a bit embarrassed. He opened the fridge, pulling out a liter of milk. “I’ve got- er, milk, and I _think_ I have sugar.” 

Placing the milk on the counter, he opened up the pantry and pulled out a bag of sugar.

“I’m guessing you don’t bake,” Tom grinned, pouring generous amounts of both into his coffee.

“No,” Will answered. “Not really.”

“I love baking,” Tom replied. “I made cupcakes last night- oh yeah! I brought you some.”

Will was a bit stunned as Tom reached into his bag and pulled out a tupperware container of cupcakes.

“Here you go!” Tom said, passing it to him. “Not much of a thank you gift, but… whatever works, right?” 

Will swallowed down the strangely warm sensation in his chest. “Thank you,” he murmured.

Tom nodded, drinking his coffee down in about two sips. “Right. I can get them to a shelter, now.”

Will looked back at the cats, reluctant. Charlie and Whiskers were playing on the floor. The other one, which he’d affectionately named Peanut, was rubbing against his leg.

He softly picked her up, gently scratching under her chin.

“Alright, come on,” Tom said, picking Charlie and Whiskers up.

“You know, I was thinking,” Will started, and Tom looked at him expectantly. 

Will, feeling a bit awkward, cleared his throat. “Well, I was thinking that I might... keep one.”

Tom looked from Peanut to Will, grinning. 

“I wondered if you might,” Tom said warmly. “I’d take her to the vet, just in case. Get her chipped and everything.”

“Right,” Will confirmed.

Tom held out a hand, and Will shook it.

“It was nice to have met you, Scho,” Tom said.

“You too, Tom,” Will replied.

And, strangely, as he watched Tom leave, Will found that he felt a bit lonely.


	2. Chapter 2

It was two weeks before Will saw Tom again. Another rainy day, the kind that left Will’s feet feeling like ice in his boots, and he was rubbing his hands together to keep them warm. Heading out on his lunch break, he nearly missed the familiar face, walking a springer spaniel on a leash.

But when Will met his eyes, Tom’s face sparked with recognition and drew into his usual grin. 

“Scho! Hi!” he called, waving. Will waved back, walking towards him. Tom met him halfway, giving him a soft clap on the back. Will had to steel himself a bit, remind himself of how casually Tom would touch him.

“How’ve you been?” he asked Tom, trying not to shiver.

“I’ve been great, you?” Tom said cheerfully.

“Good, thanks,” Will replied.

“This is Myrtle, by the way,” Tom said, gesturing to his dog.

“Oh! How are her puppies?” Will asked.

“You remembered?” Tom beamed. “They’re great! Three of them, and they’re all set up to be adopted.”

“Good,” Will said. He felt bad—he wasn’t the best at conversations, but Tom didn’t seem to mind.

“So, what’re you doing around these parts?” Tom asked him.

“I work at a bookstore,” Will answered. “It’s just down the block.”

“Turner’s Pages?” Tom asked, and Will nodded.

“How’d you know?” he asked.

Tom laughed. “Well, first of all, I live just down the road- I know every shop on this street. And second of all, my brother loves that place. I’ve been in there a few times with him.”

Will, who was now shivering uncontrollably, tried to keep control. “Really?” he asked.

“Yeah, crazy isn’t it?” Tom asked, watching Myrtle sniff a patch of grass. “We probably ran into each other, we just didn’t know!”

He looked over at Will and realized he was trembling.

“You alright?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m just- I’m just a bit cold,” Will answered.

“Well, here, take my jacket,” Tom said, sliding it off.

“No, I’m fine, really,” Will protested. Tom ignored him and slipped his jacket onto Will’s shoulders.

“Really,” Will started, “You don’t have to-“

“Oh, for God’s sake, Scho, just take the fucking jacket,” Tom replied.

Will pulled his arms into the jacket, appreciating the warmth it brought.

“Do you like books? Since you work at a bookshop?” Tom asked him, and Will nodded.

“Yes,” he answered, “I love them.”

“I used to read all the time, but… I don’t know, I guess I’ve lost interest nowadays,” Tom told him.

“Happens to a lot of people,” Will replied. He tucked his hands into the jacket pocket, feeling much better.

“What’s your favorite book?” Tom asked, and Will thought for a moment.

“The Odyssey,” he said.

“Never read it,” Tom said. “What’s it about?” 

Will slowly took in a breath, glancing over at him. He was very passionate about the book but also didn’t want to get carried away- he’d seen so many people grow bored as he rambled on about different stories, and he didn’t want to repeat that experience with Tom. So he started gingerly-

“It’s about a man named Odysseus. It’s just after the Trojan War, and he wants to return home, but he keeps getting delayed by things. So he ends up spending ten years getting there, and his wife and son keep trying to insist that he’s alive until he gets home.”

“Sounds pretty cool,” Tom said, his eyes bright. “Why is that one your favorite?”

“It’s about… perseverance,” Will said, trying to find the right words. “And I like the way it’s written.”

“Maybe I’ll have to read it sometime,” Tom said.

“Maybe,” Will repeated.

“Anyway, are you off work already?” Tom asked him. 

Will shook his head. “No. I’m on my lunch break,” he explained.

“Oh, I didn’t mean to keep you!” Tom said.

“No, you aren’t! I have plenty of time,” Will said quickly.

They sat in silence for a moment.

“Do you have a favorite book?” Will asked, and Tom’s eyes lit up.

“Hamlet, hands down!” he said.

Will raised an eyebrow. “Shakespeare? Who’s your favorite character?”

“Horatio,” Tom said eagerly. 

Will was about to ask him why when someone across the street called Tom’s name and they both looked up.

“Shit, that’s my brother,” Tom explained. “You might know him. Joe?”

Will did know him—as Tom had said, he was a frequenter at the bookshop, and Will could easily see the resemblance between the two of them now.

“Yes, I know him a bit,” he answered. 

“Right, well, I’ve got to go,” Tom said. “But hopefully I’ll see you around?”

“Yes,” Will answered. 

“Good! See you!” Tom said, and then he was jogging off to Joe.

Will checked his watch- 37 minutes left on his lunch.

It was only then that he realized that he was still wearing Tom’s jacket. 

He looked up to go after him, but he and Joe were gone.

_ Shit,  _ he thought.

* * *

For the next few days, Will kept a lookout for Tom as he worked, hoping to return his jacket. Unfortunately, Tom seemed nowhere to be found. Even Joe hadn’t shown up.

Once, it briefly flicked through Will’s thoughts that perhaps they’d been avoiding him, but he quickly brushed it away.

_ Stop being paranoid,  _ he told himself.

During the store’s slow times, Will found himself reading Hamlet, finding a new appreciation for Horatio.

When Joe finally came into the store, five days after Will had last seen Tom, Will nearly tripped with how fast he got up.

“You’re Joe,” he said quickly.

“Yes,” Joe said. “And you’re Will.”

Will glanced quickly down at the nametag on his shirt, paling. “Sorry, I- I know your brother, Tom,” he said.

“I know. Tom told me about you, the night with the kittens,” Joe said, grinning widely.

_ He did? _

Will stumbled over his words, trying to find a reply.

“Yes,” he settled on. He felt incredibly stupid.

Seeing the books Joe held, Will scolded himself a bit.

“Oh, I’ll get those checked out for you,” he said, and Joe handed them over.

When he was done, he hesitantly grabbed Tom’s jacket.

“Could you give this to Tom?” he asked Joe. “He forgot it the last time I saw him.”

“Yeah, of course,” Joe said, and Will handed it over to him with the books Joe had gotten.

“I’ll see you around,” he said, waving.

“Yeah, see you,” Will replied.

When Joe had left, Will plopped his head down onto his hands, extremely embarrassed.

“ _ ‘You’re Joe,’  _ really clever,” he said to himself.

He sighed and rubbed his temples.

“Are you ever going to check me out or shall I sit here forever,” a voice said, and Will shot up. 

It was Lauri, a mischievous smile on her face.

“Lauri,” he said, relieved. “You scared me!”

“That was the idea,” she said. 

Will checked his watch.

“You’re half an hour early,” he told her.

“I wanted to get a head start on organizing the horror section,” she said. “It got all mixed up yesterday.”

Will gazed at her. “Well, I’m not going to stop you,” he said.

“I know,” she said. “That’s why you’re my favorite coworker.”

“With Rory on maternity leave, I’m your only coworker,” Will pointed out.

“Ah. Take the compliment,” she said, and Will smiled.

They talked for the next couple of hours, then when the time came they closed down the store.

“What are your plans for your day off tomorrow?” Lauri asked.

Will shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ll probably be home with Peanut, reading.”

“Nothing else?” Lauri asked.

He looked at her suspiciously. “Why?” he asked, watching her bite back a smile.

“No reason,” she said, walking ahead, and Will scoffed and ran after her.

“Lauri,” he said. “ _ Why? _ ”

She tilted her head cheekily. “I was wondering if there was a certain boy in your life, maybe?”

Will looked at her, almost laughing. “No. Absolutely not. I’m as lonely as ever.”

Lauri raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Then who was the boy that came in yesterday looking for you?”

“What? When?” Will asked. “And what’d he look like?”

“About 5’9, dark hair, talks a lot. It was while you were on your lunch, he asked if you were in,” she said.

“Oh,” Will said.

“Yeah,  _ oh,”  _ she said. “Who is he?”

Will avoided her eyes. “I barely know him. His name’s Tom. We met while he was rescuing kittens- it’s how I got Peanut,” he said.

“Sounds romantic,” she said.

“No, it’s not like that,” Will said.

Lauri looked at him, shaking her head. “If you say so,” she said.

She stopped—they’d arrived in front of her home. I’ll see you later,” she said.

“Bye,” Will said. He headed down to his car, hands in his pockets.

_ Did Tom really ask for me? _ he wondered, then shook the thought out of his head.

_ He’d probably just wanted his jacket back. _

* * *

When Joe got home that night, he balled the jacket up and threw it onto Tom’s bed, where Tom sat reading.

“What the hell?” Tom asked. “Where’d you get this?”

“Your crush at the bookstore said you accidentally left it with him,” Joe replied. 

“He’s not my crush,” Tom answered defensively. “And anyway, I didn’t even notice it was missing. Can you tell him he can keep it?”

“What am I, your personal delivery boy?” Joe asked.

“Yeah, you are,” Tom said, throwing the jacket back at him. “And anyway, I’ve got work tomorrow, so I can’t do it.”

“You’re lucky I’m going over there anyway,” Joe said, throwing the jacket over his shoulder. “And since when do you read The Odyssey?”

Tom looked self-consciously down at his book. “Since I felt like it,” he answered.

“Right,” Joe said. “I’ll let your crush know that you love him and that you want him to keep your jacket.”

Tom chucked a shoe at him. “For the last time, he’s not my crush! Tell him that and I’ll strangle you!”

Joe just winked at him and went down the hall.

“Bastard,” Tom muttered.


	3. Chapter 3

When Will went back to work after his day off, he noticed Lauri smirking at him.

“What?” he said.

“A certain Tom wants you to have this back,” she said, placing a jacket in front of him.

“What?” Will said. “Did he say anything else?”

She shook her head. “No, it was his brother Joe who dropped it off, and he asked me to let you know that Tom wanted you to keep it.”

“What the hell,” Will muttered, picking it back up. “Why would he do that?”

“Maybe he noticed you get cold easily,” Lauri suggested. “You do shiver all the time.”

Will rolled his eyes. “Yes, but I have my own jackets,” he said.

“Then maybe you should wear them,” she said, then immediately switched to her customer-service smile as someone entered the store.

“Hi, welcome!” she said.

Will grinned as he put on his nametag, and Lauri went off to point out a book to the customer.

Will pulled out the papers from yesterday's sales and sat down, shaking his head.

A few minutes into going through them, he heard someone cough above him and looked up.

“Excuse me, but this bookshop isn’t cozy enough. Where are your candles?” 

It was Tom.

Will let the faintest bit of a smile pull at his lips.

“Well, we considered them, but had to ultimately nix the idea seeing as it was a fire hazard,” he responded.

“This is outrageous,” Tom said. “I want to speak to your manager!”

Will smiled. “I  _ am  _ the manager,” he told Tom.

Tom widened his eyes in feigned shock. “You’re the manager? Well then… I suppose I’ll have to speak to you about your lack of candles.”

“Sir, the candles were a fire hazard,” Will told him evenly. “We couldn’t risk the shop burning down.”

“What kind of cowardly bookshop doesn’t want to burn down?” Tom scoffed, barely hiding his grin. “Every other book shop I go to is already on fire!”

“I understand,” Will sighed, “But I would really prefer to live another day.”

“I suppose that’s acceptable,” Tom replied, leaning forward on the counter, “A fair trade. You being alive instead of having candles.”

Will didn’t know how to reply, so he changed the subject.

“Why’d you give back your jacket?” he asked. “I have my own jackets.”

“Yeah?” Tom asked. “Do you ever wear them?”

“Actually, I do,” Will said defensively.

Tom shrugged. “Well, now you have another one.”

“So… I presume you came in looking for a book?” Will asked.

“Oh, right,” Tom said. “Yeah, I saw the display,” he said, pointing.

It was a small display with the words “employee recommendations” on it—books that Will and Lauri had enjoyed and recommended for others to read. On Will’s side, he had laid out a few: Lord of the Rings, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Catch-22, The Shining.

Lauri had chosen a wildly different set of books: Persuasion, Frog and Toad, Tuck Everlasting, and Le Petit Prince. Most people scanned it over, but Will had only gotten asked about it once or twice.

“Oh, right,” Will said. 

“Hitchhiker’s Guide, that’s a good one,” Tom said. “Was looking for more of a tearjerker though.”

“Bridge to Terabithia?” Will asked.

“How dare you,” Tom said, puffing up his chest in fake insult. “I read that book when I was fourteen. Cried for three days straight- never wanted to pick up a book again.”

“You asked for a tearjerker,” Will pointed out.

“Yeah, but like,  _ lighthearted _ ,” Tom answered.

“Where the Red Fern Grows, then,” Will suggested, trying to see if Tom was familiar with it.

“That’s it, you clearly hate me,” Tom said. “That book is just cruel.”

Will smiled. “What about a dog book that has conflict but a happy ending?” he asked.

“Yeah, alright,” Tom said.

“Shiloh,” Will said. “I read it back in school. It made me cry, but wasn’t too bad.”

“I’m trusting you here,” Tom said. “If you break my heart, I’ll never forgive you.”

“You’ll just have to read it, then,” Will said.

“Seems like I will,” Tom said. 

There was a brief moment of silence as they looked at each other, and then Lauri was coming back and they both shifted, trying to act normal. 

“Shiloh, right?” Lauri asked, holding up the book.

“Er- yes, thank you,” Will said, taking it from her. She went to help another customer, and Will stared down at the book.

“You sure you want it?” he asked Tom.

“Yeah, I trust you,” Tom said.

Will placed it in a bag, sliding it over towards Tom.

“On the house,” he said.

Tom, who had just pulled out his wallet, shook his head.

“No. Charge me for it,” he demanded.

“No. Take it,” Will said.

Tom stared him down. “Fine, where’s your tip jar, then?” he asked.

“We don’t have one,” Will replied. “Looks like you’ll have to keep the money.”

“Seems like I’m going to have to leave the money on the counter, and when I walk away, I’ll ignore where it goes,” Tom said.

He placed money down, and Will pushed it back at him. “No,” he said.

“Yes,” Tom said, sliding it back towards Will.

“Keep it,” Will said. 

Tom looked at him for a second, trying not to smile. “Fine,” he said. “Then I’ll just have to think of another way to repay you.”

“Like what?” Will asked.

Tom shrugged as he grabbed the bag, a coy grin on his face. “You’ll have to see,” he told Will, giving him a wink. Will’s face went hot once again, and he watched Tom head for the door. 

“See you around,” Tom called, and then he was out of the shop.

“You like him,” Lauri said once he was gone.

“He’s just a friend,” Will said. She stared at him, and he stared back.

“Fine,” she said eventually, “I’m sure you’re right.”

“I think I’d know if I liked someone,” Will said.

“Of course,” Lauri said, but as she rearranged the books on the horror section, Will couldn’t help but feel as if she was humoring him.

* * *

Tom came back the next day, and Will had to admit to himself that he was happy to see him.

“Welcome back,” he said.

“Okay, first of all, I loved Shiloh,” Tom told him. 

“You finished it already?” Will asked.

“Fast reader,” Tom explained. “And second of all, when are you free?”

Will looked at him, a bit suspicious. “Why?” he asked.

“Because I want to treat you to lunch as a thank you for the book,” Tom said.

“You don’t have to do that,” Will said. 

“Yeah, I know,” Tom said. “Trust me, I want to.”

Will stared at him, almost wondering if he was joking. “Tuesday,” he finally said. “I’m free Tuesday.”

“Good. 1?” Tom asked.

“Alright,” Will said.

“I’ll meet you in front of your apartment?” Tom asked.

Will had forgotten that Tom knew where he lived. “Yes. That’s fine,” he said.

“Alright. I’ll see you then,” Tom said.

“See you then,” Will confirmed.

After Tom had left, Will pulled out his personal planner and marked the date for the lunch. He doubted he could forget, though.

* * *

“You asked him out for lunch?” Joe asked incredulously. “After you told me you didn’t have a crush on him?”

“I  _ don’t  _ have a crush on him,” Tom said. “It’s platonic, friends go out for lunch all the time!”

“Is that why you were glued to the book he gave you? Because he’s your  _ friend _ ?” Joe inquired cheekily.

“Yeah!” Tom said. “And what about it? It was a good book!”

Joe stared at him. “Fine. Have fun,” he said.

Tom was instantly suspicious. “What are you up to?” he asked.

“What? I’m just saying to have a good time,” Joe said innocently.

“I don’t trust you,” Tom said. “At all.”

“I mean, all I want for you is to have fun on your date,” Joe told him.

“Fuck off, it’s not a date!” Tom replied.

“And Will knows that?” Joe asked.

“Yes! Of course he does!” Tom said defensively. “And he’s probably straight, anyway. In fact, I’m pretty sure that he and the girl at the bookshop are dating.”

“Really?” Joe asked. “Good to know.”

Tom glared at him. 

“I’m going to bed,” Joe said sleepily. “Have fun on your platonic friends lunch.”

“I will,” Tom replied.


	4. Chapter 4

On the morning of the lunch, Will found that he was a little nervous, for unexplainable reasons.

He paced back and forth, fed Peanut, paced some more, played with Peanut, picked up a book and promptly set it down, and eventually put on a record to calm himself.

When it reached 12:50, Will noticed that his hands were shaking.

“Stop it,” he told himself. “It’s just lunch.”

When the clock reached 12:58, he took a deep breath and grabbed one of his jackets, making sure it wasn’t the one Tom had given him, and then went downstairs to meet him.

Outside, he was relieved to see Tom waiting for him.

“Hey!” Tom called, and Will waved.

“There’s this little place down the road, do you mind a walk?” Tom asked.

“No, I love walks,” Will said.

“Good!” Tom said, “How’s your cat, by the way?” 

“Oh! She’s doing well, thanks,” Will said, thinking of Peanut.

Tom looked at him expectantly. “Does she have a name?”

Will suddenly felt very embarrassed about the name he’d chosen. “Jane,” he quickly lied.

“Like Jane Austen?” Tom said. 

“Yes,” Will replied. “I suppose.”

“I don’t care what people say, I love Jane Austen,” Tom said excitedly. “Have you read anything of hers?”

Will smiled, wishing he shared Tom’s carefree mindset. “Yes,” he admitted. “Most of them.”

“I don’t trust people who don’t like Pride and Prejudice,” Tom said, “Best romance that ever existed.”

“Yes,” Will replied, wishing he could think of more to say.

“Oh, by the way, I read the Odyssey! I can see why you like it, I really enjoyed it!” Tom told him.

“You read it?” Will asked, feeling a little flattered. “You didn’t have to.”

“Scho, it wasn’t like you were holding a knife to my throat telling me to read it,” Tom said, grinning. “I wanted to! I had to know why it was your favorite.”

“Well, I… reread Hamlet,” Will confessed.

“Yes!” Tom cheered. “God, I need more people to talk to about it. I’m driving Joe insane.”

They halted as they approached the cafe. 

“Here, this is it,” Tom said, and Will followed him inside.

Will loved it immediately. It was such a place of its own, unique and yet… nostalgic somehow. Like going back to a place you grew up in but barely recognize, where it's unfamiliar but the feelings of fondness still attach itself to every square inch.

There were photographs on the wall- soft images Will longed to see in color, all of which expressed a different emotion.

Tom was watching Will’s reaction a bit nervously. “What do you think?” he asked.

Will beamed at him. “I love it,” he said, “I can’t believe I never knew it was here.”

“I love that kind of thing, hidden treasures in the city,” Tom said. “It’s almost like I’m collecting places.”

Will adored that idea more than he could say.

“It’s perfect,” he said.

Tom returned his grin. “I knew I could trust you,” he said.

As they got settled, Will’s anxiety melted away- Tom seemed to have that effect on him. They chatted about different things- books, movies, family, work. 

It was all fine on the surface, but there were several moments that Will caught himself staring at Tom. He couldn’t help it, he just kept noticing small repetitive mannerisms- like the way Tom’s hair would fall into his eyes, and the way he absentmindedly swept it away. Or the way his eyes would light up when he got passionate about something, how his cheeks would flush ever so slightly, how he’d smile constantly. And how easy he was to talk to- Will was reserved by nature, but Tom soon had him locked into a conversation. Opening up that quickly- it was a new feeling. New, but good. 

It was halfway through a conversation about Hamlet that Will put together exactly what those feelings meant, and God, he wished he hadn’t. Really, it should have been obvious that he’d begun to crush on Tom. Even Lauri had noticed before he had, while Will had been off in denial. But the fact that he was feeling like that for Tom scared him. He didn’t know whether or not Tom was supportive of that sort of thing— he assumed Tom was probably straight, as was so often the case. Will hoped not, but even if Tom  _ was  _ gay, who was to say that Tom liked him back?

The more he thought about it, the more he retreated back into his shell. Which, was a stupid thing to do, but if Will was honest, it served as some kind of protection—a defense against falling too deep and getting hurt when it was unnecessary. 

Tom immediately noticed how Will had withdrawn—Will saw how he changed tone, changed the subject, brought up conversation starters that Will longed to jump on but couldn’t let himself. He stuck to one-worded answers, yes or no. Of course, he tried not to be  _ too  _ withdrawn, but there was no obvious line to walk and he found that he veered too far into frigidness.

Eventually, Tom quieted. Will felt awful; of course, he’d managed to ruin this. He watched as Tom looked at the photos on the wall, some sort of longing in his eyes.

“Do you have a soulmate?” Tom asked, which caught Will off guard.

“Oh, I- no,” he stammered, wondering why Tom was asking.

Tom sighed, returning his gaze to Will. “My brother just found his,” he said. “And he was telling me all about colors, about how so many things look so different than you expected. He says green is his favorite color, says it looks… clean. Soothing. He doesn’t like red much, though- says it hurts his eyes.”

Will watched Tom fidget with his hands, feeling quite bad about his silence. “Oh,” he said. He couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“I always try to imagine what it’ll be like, try to picture it,” Tom continued. “I guess it’s hard to imagine something you haven’t seen.”

Will was trying to think of something,  _ anything  _ to reply- but his brain seemed to be short-circuiting.  _ Could this get any worse? _

“Right,” he finally replied. Tom smiled, albeit a bit sadly, and met Will’s eyes.

“Did I say something wrong?” he asked. “Because I know sometimes I talk a lot, and I’m loud, and sometimes I say stupid things-”

“-No, no!” Will said quickly, interrupting him, “It’s not you! I- it’s me. You’re fine.”

Tom stared at him for a moment. “Oh,” he said softly.

It was extremely awkward for the rest of the lunch as they paid- well, Tom paid, he insisted- and they left the cafe. 

“Right, I’ll see you around, then?” Tom asked. 

“Yes,” Will said. He so desperately wished that it had gone differently, that he hadn’t been so fucking  _ stupid.  _

Tom nodded, then turned to leave.

“Tom, wait!” Will called after him, a bit impulsively. Tom stopped in his tracks, looking back. Will was desperately trying to think of what to say, a bit frantic.

“Tom, wait, I- you didn’t say anything wrong, really,” he said. “I like being around you, I like getting to know you, I was just... afraid that it was too good to be true, that I’d somehow ruin it. And I didn’t want that, so I thought it’d be easier if I just didn’t know you. And I’m terrible at conversation and I kept overthinking it, and not knowing what to say, and— I didn’t mean to seem disinterested. I really like you. Please, can we… not leave it like this.”

Tom stared back at him for a moment, then his face lit up into a smile, and he took a few steps back to Will. “That’s good to hear,” he said, relief palpable in his voice. “Because I thought you were mad because I didn’t like Wuthering Heights—you went all quiet after I’d said it.”

Will laughed, shaking his head. “God no, I hate Wuthering Heights,” he said. “But I really do like you.”

There was a moment where he realized how that sounded, but if that came on too strong, Tom didn’t show it— he stretched an arm across Will’s shoulder, ruffling Will’s hair with his other hand.

“Thank God,” Tom replied. “It’s too soon to lose you.”

Will internally agreed with him.


	5. Chapter 5

Over the next few months, Will found himself getting much closer to Tom. They’d spend days off together, going to museums, art shows, even a concert for some band Will had never heard of. It was half-bliss, half-torture. The more time he spent with Tom, the stronger his feelings got. But Tom was endearing and lovely, so Will ignored that—he found that he couldn’t stay away from Tom, even if he’d wanted to.

Tom would come to visit him at the bookshop, Will would visit Tom at his job—he worked at a daycare a couple days a week, helping out the teacher. He was surprisingly good with the kids, and they loved him. When he’d have to leave, they’d cling to his legs, some of them even bursting to tears. Will was not so good with children—he didn’t know how to talk to them at all, and mainly hid in the corner until Tom was done. But he grew fond of a couple of them, especially when one girl handed him a drawing. 

“This is Poppy,” Tom told Will, balancing the girl on her shoulders. “She did a drawing of you, wanted you to have it

“I love it. Thank you,” Will said to the girl, and she buried her face in her hands.

“She’s shy,” Tom explained, setting her down.

Will gave her a smile, and she ran away. 

“Right, ready to go?” Tom asked. 

“Yes,” Will replied.

When he got home, Will hung the drawing on his refrigerator.

As time went on, he couldn’t help but hope that, well, Tom felt the same. But Tom seemed almost unreadable, in a way. Will could tell when he was happy or sad or angry, but more complex emotions completely escaped him. And he doubted Tom was gay, or that Tom even knew that Will was. Will had tried to find a good moment to tell him, but it never seemed to come. Luckily, that was solved as he saw his ex-boyfriend, Daniel, on the street and froze.

“What? What is it?” Tom asked, noticing Will’s panic.

“I- ah,” Will started. He didn’t know if he should say it, but Tom didn’t seem the type to be homophobic, so why not? 

“I- that’s my ex-boyfriend,” he explained. 

Tom did a double-take of Daniel. “Him?” he asked.

“Yes,” Will replied. “Him.”

Tom dragged him into a store, out of Daniel’s sight, and they waited for him to pass.

“I’m guessing he was an arse?” Tom said, looking at Will’s pale face. 

“Yes,” Will admitted. “I’m not even sure why I ever dated him.”

Once Daniel was completely out of sight, Will gave a sigh of relief. “I’m bisexual, by the way. Sorry you had to find out like that,” he told Tom.

Tom gave a grin. “It’s alright, mate, I know how it is,” he replied, “I’m gay.”

Will’s heart skipped a beat, and he had to calm himself down a bit, unable to stop a smile from spreading over his face.

“I see,” he breathed. “Looks like we really do attract each other.”

Tom laughed, throwing an arm over Will’s shoulder. “Oh, absolutely,” he said, “All my friends from school turned out gay as well.”

Will smiled at him a moment before clearing his throat. 

“Right, I think the coast is clear,” he said. “Let’s head out, shall we?” 

“Yeah,” Tom said. “Let’s go.”

There was a bit of silence, with Will not knowing quite what to say, but Tom luckily always had ways to get the conversation moving.

“Are you out to your parents?” Tom asked him, and Will took in a breath. 

“Er- well, my dad died when I was young,” Will explained. “And my mother passed a few years back.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Tom said quickly, “I didn’t mean to-“

“No, no, you didn’t know,” Will interrupted. “My mother knew, I think. I never directly told her, I wasn’t as comfortable with it myself, back then, but I still think she… knew.”

Tom nodded solemnly as he listened.

“And you?” Will asked him. “Do your parents know?”

Tom gave a slight chuckle. “Yeah, they know. Mum’s known ever since I was five, I think. It definitely wasn’t a surprise when I told her. My dad struggled with it at first, but he’s come round.”

“Good,” Will said. “I’m happy they took it well.”

“Me too,” Tom replied. “But it’s having a sort of opposite effect. Instead of trying to set me up with all her friend’s daughters, my Mum is trying to set me up with every single gay man in the town I grew up with.”

Will chuckled. “Well? How’s that working out?”

Tom shook his head. “Not well at all. Most just want to hook up, you know?”

“Yeah,” Will said, even though he really didn’t. He hadn’t dated very many men.

“Anyway, my brother’s bi, so it isn’t only me now,” Tom went on, “Though- I think I told you- he’s found his soulmate, and they’re getting married next spring.”

“Yes, I remember you telling me about him,” Will responded. “I imagine it’ll be interesting to find mine.”

As he said it, he couldn’t help but give Tom a longing look, knowing exactly who he wished his soulmate was.

Tom thankfully missed it, and he gave a sigh. “Yeah. I’m… tired of being lonely. I just want to find someone.”

Will’s heart was tightly wound in his chest, and he wanted to scream, _me, me, me,_ but he’d never do it no matter how his composure fell, he wasn’t one for sudden love confessions. He and Tom were just friends, and he fiercely reminded himself he’d rather have Tom as a friend than risk losing him for the sake of romance.

“So… your ex-boyfriend,” Tom said slowly. “Can I ask what happened between you two?”

Embarrassment heated Will’s face, and Tom immediately picked up on it.

“Oh, you don’t have to tell me,” Tom exclaimed, “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”

“It’s fine,” Will said, swallowing hard. “It’s good to talk about, right?”

He didn’t wait for Tom to respond.

“His name is Daniel, and I- I just felt so lonely at the time, that I was willing to settle for anyone, even someone who didn’t really like me,” Will started, stumbling over his words a bit. “He got irritated at me all the time, said I was too quiet, but got annoyed when I tried to talk to him about anything, especially books. I dealt with it because I didn’t want to be alone.”

Will paused for a moment, having said more than he wanted to. “But then I walked in on him with someone else, and I ended it. We haven’t spoken since.”

“God, really?” Tom said, scrunching his face into disbelief. “He didn’t know what he had, if you ask me. You deserve better.”

Will smiled half-heartedly. “I think I’ve come to learn that, now, but I didn’t know it at the time. I just thought I deserved it.”

Tom gave him an unreadable expression. “You didn’t,” he said insistently.

Will didn’t know how to respond. He listened to the leaves crunching under their boots as they walked, looked at the slowly shedding trees above them, painting the area around them with orange, yellow, and red.

“Listen,” Tom said suddenly, “I don’t want to be too forward or anything, but I was just- well, I- would you like to come over and spend Christmas with us? I’d just be me, Joe, his new boyf- er- fiance, and my mum and dad,” he stammered. “They're really nice, I promise they don’t bite, and they’d love to have you! You don’t have to, but I was already thinking of inviting you, and since you don’t have your parents, I just figured I might as well, if you didn’t have plans…” He trailed off, looking a bit helpless. 

Will looked at him in shock for a moment—the invitation was more kindness than he was used to. He’d spent Christmas alone for a few years, now, and while he had told himself he didn’t mind it, deep down he had. Christmas with Tom… the sound of it was more than enough to make his heart warm.

“Yes,” he answered Tom, not bothering to hide his grin. “Yes, I’d love to.”


	6. Chapter 6

Will hadn’t been excited for Christmas in years, but he was plenty excited now. He’d agreed to get a ride to and from Tom’s house with Tom himself, and they were to leave in about thirty minutes—he was now just waiting for Lauri to swing by, as she’d agreed to watch Peanut for the few days that he would be gone. The shop was always closed on holidays, so he wouldn’t have to worry about missing work. The door buzzed, and Will rushed to open it, but it wasn’t Lauri, it was Tom, with fresh snow in his hair, a smile on his face, and a small present in his hand.

“Hi!” he said breathlessly, sounding as if he’d just been running. “Sorry, I know I’m early, but I wanted to give this to you before we left! It’s for your cat!”

He handed it over, and Will took it, smiling fondly. “You didn’t have to do that,” he told Tom, “She’s already over spoiled.”

“Yes, but not by me,” Tom said, bending down to scratch underneath Peanut’s neck. 

“Wh- hey!” he exclaimed, seeing Peanut’s name tag. “Peanut? I thought you said her name was Jane!”

Will was so embarrassed he couldn’t speak, but Tom just laughed, gripping one of Will’s shoulders. 

“Ashamed of the name Peanut, were you?” Tom asked, “Even after I named one of the other cats Whiskers?”

“I- Jane sounded more sophisticated,” Will said guiltily. 

“Sophisticated?” Tom asked in disbelief. “She’s a cat! What did you want to call her, Catherine the Third?”

Will laughed, burying his face in his hand, and Tom rubbed his back comfortingly. “It’s alright, I won’t tell your secret,” he promised Will. “Anyway, I’m just glad you didn’t actually name your cat Jane. I may have made fun of you a bit to Joe for that.”

“Really?” Will asked. “What’s wrong with the name Jane?”

Tom’s brow furrowed, but he was still smiling. “Come on, who names their cat _Jane_?” he replied, biting down more laughter. “It’s a weird name for a cat!”

“Well- you have a dog named Myrtle!” Will said, and Tom good-naturedly returned his grin. “Alright, fair,” Tom admitted. “I can’t explain away that one. But, in my defense, I _was_ a kid when I named her.”

They were interrupted by a knock on the door, and Will opened it to see Lauri.

“Oh, come in!” Will said, letting her in. “Thank you, by the way,” Will told her, starting to pack up Peanut’s things.

“It was no problem,” Lauri said, and upon seeing Tom she smiled and gave a wave. “Hi, Tom!” she greeted him. “How’d you like Persuasion?”

“It was fantastic,” Tom said, standing. Will watched them fondly, glad that the two of them got together well, as they were the two most important people to him.

“Right,” he said, handing Peanut’s things over to Lauri. “Here’s that, and-” He stopped over, carefully picking up the cat and placing her in Lauri’s arms, “Here’s Peanut.”

“Bonjour, mon amour,” Lauri greeted Peanut, rubbing her thumb over the cat’s ears. “She’s gotten so big! I remember how small she was when you first got her!”

Will gave a nod. “Yes, she’s grown so fast,” he said, a bit sadly. 

“Right, I’ll take good care of her,” Lauri assured him. “You have a great Christmas, both of you!”

“You too!” Tom and Will said, almost simultaneously, and she was out the door.

Tom and Will looked at each other, and Will moved to grab his suitcase—a few pairs of clothes, just for the weekend. Tom insisted on carrying it out to his car, _“You’re my guest, let me!”_ and soon they were on their way, chatting about their favorite Christmas movies, and their least favorite Christmas carols. Tom’s favorite was The Holiday, while Will’s was It’s A Wonderful Life. Will hated Twelve Days of Christmas, and Tom couldn’t stand Do They Know It’s Christmas. They both agreed that Love Actually was fun aside for some choice moments.

As they pulled up, Will felt a twinge of fear. Even though they weren’t dating, Will couldn’t help but want Tom’s family to like him, even though Tom had assured Will they’d love him. It helped that Will at least knew Joe from the bookshop—Joe was friendly, but he and Will weren’t exactly close friends. 

After they’d gotten out of the car, Tom’s mother was the first to meet Will, and he could see where Tom and Joe got their charisma from. She was all smiles and warmth, with kind eyes, brown- Will supposed Tom and Joe got their blue eyes from their father. 

She enveloped Will in a hug.

“You must be William,” she said amicably. “I’m Martha. Tom’s told me all about you. We’re so happy to have you.”

Will felt a strange emotion run through him, and he looked over at Tom to be met with a sheepish grin. Tom had told his mother about him? Will hushed his mind, trying not to overthink anything, but now he was overthinking absolutely everything. Was it normal for friends to spend Christmas together? Was it normal to tell your mother about your friends, even while you no longer lived with her? Did Tom want to be more than they were, or was he just friendly? Perhaps he pitied Will, for having no one else to spend Christmas with. 

“Let’s get you boys out of the cold,” Tom’s mother said, pulling him inside, thankfully halting his thoughts. When the door opened, Will felt the nerves start again. Inside was Joe, a young dog that Will knew must have been one of Myrtle’s puppies, and… Leslie?

Will stared at him for a moment—they’d been roommates a few years back. Leslie was interesting, to put it lightly, but underneath his gruff outlook was someone who was really an alright person. 

“Oh, you’re joking me,” Leslie said upon seeing him. “Will Schofield, in the flesh. Never thought I’d see you again, mate!”

He gripped Will’s shoulder, giving him a clap on the back.

“Oh,” Martha said, looking between the two of them. “You know Leslie, Will?”

“Yeah,” Leslie cut in for Will, “We used to room together! This is the guy that came with me to the Britney Spears concert!”

Tom looked absolutely delighted at that. “That was you?” he asked gleefully.

Will felt his cheeks grow hot. “I—yes, that was me,” he admitted. “Why would you tell them that?” he hissed at Leslie.

“Well, I didn’t know you knew them, did I?” Leslie stated. “And anyway, I made you sound good. ‘I didn’t want to go to a Britney concert alone, so my lovely roommate went with me even though he didn’t know any of the songs’ and all that.”

“Right,” Will said, shaking his head. “Did you also tell them that I once drove an hour to pick you up when you’d gotten drunk in the middle of nowhere?”

“Oh, he told us that, too,” Joe said with a grin. “Nothing but praise for his old roommate. I was mildly jealous of you, at first. Though, I don’t think it was necessary. You seem smart enough to avoid his affections.”

“Well,” Will said, “I certainly was never interested.”

“Oi!” Leslie said, feigning offense. “Anyone would be lucky to have me, and you all know it.”

Joe rolled his eyes, pulling Leslie closer. “Yes, I know,” he said, burying his face in Leslie’s neck.

“Get a room,” Tom said, scrunching his face in disgust as he took off his coat. He looked over to Will, who was sharing his discomfort at the display of affection. “The cons of him getting a soulmate,” he said.

Will nodded his agreement, and Tom’s mother came out behind them.

“Oh, let them be happy, boys,” she said, though her voice was strained as if she were holding back a laugh. 

“Where’s dad?” Tom asked, looking around as if his father was hiding somewhere.

“Oh, he’s picking up the roast for tomorrow night,” Martha replied, removing her coat and scarf, “He should be back soon, and then we can have dinner.”

“Dinner!” Tom exclaimed, almost like he’d forgotten, “Good! I’m starving!” 

Will was also feeling hungry, and Martha caught his gaze, giving him a grin. “I hope you like pot roast,” she said, and Will felt his stomach growl.

“Yes,” he said quickly.

Almost as if on cue, they heard the door open behind them, and an older man walked through the door. He looked gruff at first, but when he saw Tom, his face lit up in a smile that transformed him into an almost replica of his youngest son.

“Thomas, I’m glad you’re home,” he told Tom, pulling him in for a hug, before looking up to see Will standing there, a few feet away. 

“And you must be Will,” he said, gripping Will’s hand into a firm handshake. “We’re happy to have you here, son.”

Will briefly wondered what it was like to have this, the laughter and banter and love every year. He felt almost out of place, his hesitancy and reserved composure foreign among the openness of the Blake’s.

“I’m happy to be here,” Will replied, returning the handshake. 

The rest of the night was wonderful, so wonderful that Will almost felt as if he were in a dream. They ate dinner, played board games, and decorated the house in preparation for the next day. Will had thought it’d be awkward, but the Blakes were all so lovely that he soon felt his hesitance drop, as if he were almost part of them.

When it had gotten late, Tom showed him to his room, and as Will got ready for bed he felt a sharp, aching pain in his chest thinking of the future. He didn’t think he’d ever wanted anything more than for Tom to be in love with him, to be able to share this kind of life with him forever. But he had also never been more certain that it was completely out of his grasp—it was too good to be true, surely.

The next morning, he drifted into the kitchen to find Martha and Leslie there, making breakfast.

“Oh! Good morning!” Martha greeted him, placing a cup of coffee in his hands. “Tom should be up soon, heaven knows he always sleeps in,” she said. “Breakfast is on the counter, and we’ll have more up soon!”

“Thank you,” Will replied, fixing himself a plate of the freshly baked french toast. He couldn’t stop himself from looking around, trying to memorize every aspect of this home, to lock it into his memory like a form of prized treasure that he’d have with him always. 

“Morning!” Tom greeted them as he walked in, taking a seat next to Will. Will took in the tousled hair, the sleepy expression, the shy smile as Tom met Will’s eyes. At that moment, Will was absolutely certain that he was in love with Tom, and what a terrible day to realise it—Christmas Eve. 

Even just imagining that Tom felt the same… it was overwhelming, and Will dared not to let himself hope. It would hurt too much when reality set in.

Will distracted himself the best he could, and luckily Martha had plans for him—she kept him busy preparing the roast for the Christmas dinner. Peeling and chopping potatoes and carrots, making pie crust, making the cherry filling, setting the table for dinner.

As this all happened, Will became well-educated on the Blake family, with Martha telling Will and Leslie stories of Tom and Joe as children, and Tom and Joe frequently acting embarrassed. It was endearing to the highest level, and it was interesting to find out phrases that Tom used, that Will could tell he’d gotten from his parents or Joe, to see where Tom had gotten his storytelling, his sense of humor. It only made Will love him more, as much as that hurt.

And then, before he knew it, they were sitting around the table, having a Christmas feast. A warm, content feeling had filled Will—he was deliriously happy, and he never ever wanted it to end. But it wasn’t long before it had gotten late, and more and more people drifted out, getting ready for bed.

Will stayed put by the Christmas tree until it was only him and Tom, and the faint sound of Christmas carols on the record Martha had left on. 

“I can never sleep well on Christmas Eve,” Tom told him, sighing as he looked at the tree. 

“Really?” Will asked. “Why not?”

“I get too excited for the morning,” Tom grinned. “I know sleeping will make it come faster, but I still can’t get myself to calm down.”

Will chuckled, and there was a beat of stillness, only the gentle sound of the music in the background. 

He looked over to find Tom looking at him, and Will felt his breath catch in his chest. There was some form of intense emotion under Tom’s gaze, one that Will dared not read. He was feeling as if he might burst, as if he was ready to throw it all away to tell Tom how he really felt, to put it into words. Instead, he fiercely pushed the feeling down as much as he could, telling himself now was not the time, even as Tom scooted closer to him.

Will wanted to say _something,_ but he couldn’t think what for the life of him

“I love you,” Tom said suddenly, and Will froze. It was said with such a longing in his voice that Will thought it might rip him apart. He sat numbly, wondering if he’d heard right.

“I- I’ve loved you for a long time,” Tom continued anxiously. “I know you might not feel the same way, I mean, I hope you do, but…I dunno, you’re hard to read, and maybe you don’t. But I figured, if any time was right to tell you, it’s now, so…”

Will shook himself out of his daze, knowing the agony Tom must be in, waiting for a response.

“Tom,” he said, “I- I love you too.” It wasn’t quite the response he’d wanted to give, it didn’t quite sum up the strength and presence of the feelings he’d felt for the past year, but it would have to do. 

Tom’s face lit up, and he gave Will a searching look. “You do?”

“Yes,” Will laughed, “Yes!”

Laughing with him, Tom leaned over and kissed him. It was soft at first, though it quickly deepened, and it was so, so sweet.

 _I must be dreaming,_ Will thought, _this is too wonderful to be true._ But it was real, as real as the warmth from Tom’s hand on his cheek, the feeling of Tom’s lips on his own. Will didn’t want to let go, but he was getting short of breath, and he didn’t want to faint in the middle of their first kiss—he begrudgingly pulled away. He nuzzled his nose against Tom’s, then slowly opened his eyes.

 _Color_. Will nearly started from the sight, from the implications of what that meant. From Tom’s expression, Tom was seeing it too, and he laughed.

“Shit!” Tom exclaimed, “You’re my soulmate!”

Will laughed and kissed him again. It wasn’t as long, but it was followed by a scattering of small, lingering kisses. Neither of them wanted to pull away.

Sighing, Will pulled away and rested his forehead against Tom’s. 

“I love you,” he said, “Happy Christmas.”

“I love you too. Happy Christmas,” Tom said, leaning in for another kiss.

It was all Will had ever wanted.


	7. Epilogue babey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is pretty much just. a bonus. enjoy.

Tom and Will were married the next winter.

Tom became a primary school teacher, and Will went on to own the bookshop before becoming an author.

Poppy, the girl at the daycare, was a foster child that Tom and Will ended up adopting.

They lived out their days together, spending holidays at the Blake’s, where Martha was delighted to have a grandchild.

Joe and Leslie also adopted—a little girl that they ended up naming Sadie. Leslie argued for the name Britney, but Joe was vehemently opposed to the idea.

Peanut had kittens, four, three of which Lauri and her new wife Eleanor were happy to take in. Will and Tom kept the other one, naming it Mittens.

They all lived out their lives in peace, with plenty of love and laughter, and they were all gloriously happy until the very end.


End file.
